On 7 May 2026, a conference entitled ‘Generation Z in the labour market in the age of lifelong learning’ was held in the auditorium of Building A0 at the University of Rzeszów. The event brought together representatives from the academic community, public institutions, labour market experts, students and those interested in the issues surrounding contemporary changes in employment, education and lifelong learning.

The conference was held under the honorary patronage of His Magnificence Prof. Adam Reich, MD, PhD, Rector of the University of Rzeszów. The event was also included in the calendar of events marking the 25th anniversary of the University of Rzeszów.

The conference was organised by the Provincial Labour Office in Rzeszów, whilst the Faculty of Law and Administration of the University of Rzeszów provided the event with its academic patronage. The conference was organised as part of activities related to building a system for the coordination and monitoring of regional initiatives for vocational education, higher education and lifelong learning, including adult learning, implemented under investment A.3.1.1 of the National Recovery and Resilience Plan.

The main programme was preceded by the official opening of the conference. Speaking on behalf of the University of Rzeszów was Dr Józef Cebulski, Professor at the University of Rzeszów and Vice-Rector for Finance and Development. The participants were then welcomed by Ms Anna Huk, Member of the Podkarpackie Province Executive Board, who emphasised the importance of cooperation between the provincial government, labour market institutions and the academic community. On behalf of the Provincial Labour Office, the conference was opened by Mr Maciej Karasiński, Deputy Director for the Labour Market at the Rzeszów Provincial Labour Office. Dr Renata Świrgoń-Skok, Dean of the Faculty of Law and Administration at the University of Rzeszów, also took the floor, highlighting the vital role of legal studies, academic education and expert debate in identifying the challenges of the modern labour market.

The substantive part of the conference was opened by a presentation by Dr Hubert Kotarski from the Institute of Social Sciences at the University of Rzeszów, entitled “Generation Z in the labour market: between educational aspirations, the uncertainties of adulthood and regional development challenges”. The paper served as a starting point for reflection on the social and regional context of young people entering the labour market.

Next, Dr Izabela Florczak from the Faculty of Law and Administration at the University of Łódź gave a presentation entitled "Lifelong learning and the diverse inclusion of young workers. Does Generation Z have an equal start?". The presentation focused on the issues of equal access to professional development, inclusion and the legal conditions affecting the career start of young workers.

The next item on the agenda was a presentation by Nadia Harris, LL.M, MBA, entitled “Generation Z and the transformation of the labour market: remote working and professional mobility”. The speaker discussed the importance of flexible forms of work organisation, professional mobility and the new expectations of the younger generation towards employers and the working environment.

Later in the conference, Dr Joanna Smolarczyk, MD, PhD, from the Medical University of Silesia in Katowice, delivered a presentation entitled “Psychosocial factors affecting Generation Z in the labour market”. The presentation highlighted mental well-being, mental resilience, expectations regarding work-life balance, and psychosocial risks that may affect how young people function in the workplace.

After the break, participants listened to a presentation by Małgorzata Kuczery, MA, from the War Studies University in Warsaw and the Office of the President of the Republic of Poland, entitled "Generational change in the uniformed services – can the system keep up with Generation Z?". This presentation broadened the conference’s perspective to include the specific nature of hierarchical institutions and uniformed services, where generational changes pose particular organisational challenges.

An important part of the event was a panel discussion featuring experts and students from the University of Rzeszów, focusing on Generation Z in the labour market. The discussion enabled a comparison of academic, institutional and student perspectives. Topics covered included young people’s expectations of work, the importance of job stability, the need for continuous upskilling, remote working, professional mobility, relations with employers, and the importance of mental wellbeing in the workplace. The discussion panel was attended by students from the Faculty of Law and Administration at the University of Rzeszów: Patrycja Chrobak, Magdalena Wolska, Kamil Mruk, Jacek Hayder and Mateusz Zbieg.

The conference was summarised by Dr Aneta Kowalczyk, Professor at the University of Rzeszów and Head of the Department of Labour Law and Social Security at the University of Rzeszów. In her speech, she highlighted the interdisciplinary nature of the debate and the need for further research and discussion regarding the younger generation in the labour market, particularly in the context of labour law, employment policy and regional development.

Dr Michał Skóra from the Faculty of Law and Administration at the University of Rzeszów acted as moderator and conference coordinator on behalf of the University of Rzeszów.

The conference demonstrated that the issues surrounding Generation Z in the labour market require a combination of various perspectives: legal, social, psychological, medical, economic and organisational. Of particular importance is also the cooperation between universities, labour market institutions, the provincial government and young people themselves, who are increasingly actively contributing to the debate on the future of work, education and professional development.